SYLLABUS and OUTLINE OF STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
Instructor: Dr. Marc Dichter (215-349-5166; dichter@mail.med.upenn.edu)
Time: Fall, 2007, Tuesday afternoons - 4:00 - 5:30 PM
Thursday afternoons - 4:00 - 5:00 PM
Room : Barchi Library, 140 John Morgan Building
Textbook: Please check the electronic blackboard for readings: readings often will be assigned for the various topics. There is no one text suitable for the course. Many of the chapters in “The Molecular and Genetic Basis of Neurological Disease” edited by Roger
Rosenberg, Stanley Pruisiner, Salvatore DiMauro, and Robert Barchi, Edition 2 or 3, are a good initial source. Copies are available on reserve in the medical library and in the Neuroscience library.
For the following types of student-led activities the class will be divided into two teams. The teams will stay the same throughout the semester. For each activity, two (or perhaps more) members of each team will sign up to take primary responsibility for their team’s presentation. The other members of each team will be responsible for assisting their team members and for answering questions during the discussion.
CLINICAL TRIALS PRESENTATIONS: Students will read a paper(s) describing the results of a clinical trial(s) for a given disease. After the designated students from each team present their trial, other team members will compare and contrast their team’s trial with that of the other team.
DEBATES on alternative mechanisms: Students will read papers giving evidence in support of a particular mechanism as central to the etiology of a given disorder. The two designated students from each team will present the best evidence in support of “their” mechanism. After the initial arguments are made, students may debate the points presented by the opposing team.
PRESENTATIONS of various hypotheses : These will be similar to the “debates” but students will not be responsible for contrasting “their” hypothesis or mechanism with the others that are presented by the other students.
WEBSITE REVIEW: S tudents will review a website and write a 1 page, single-spaced summary of what impressed them most of the site. Details will be given at the appropriate times.
GRADING: Grades will be based on quality of presentations, written assignments, and ability to answer questions and participate in the discussions during class.
At the end of the term, students will write a ~3 page ‘mini grant proposal” on one of the diseases discussed in class. More information will be provided towards the end of the semester.
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Week #
1
2
Sept 11
Mechanisms of brain dysfunction
Necrosis vs apoptosis or how cells die
WEBSITE REVIEW: Stroke
Students will turn in at the start of next class a written, one-page (single spaced) summary of impression of one site from perspective of scientist, patient or doctor: www.strokeassociation.org
; http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/stroke/stroke.htm
www.strokecenter.org
Sept 18
Stroke and ischemic brain damage
(plus brief overview of Alzheimer’s Disease)
3
4
Sept 25
Alzheimer’s disease
DEBATE: Tau hypothesis | Amyloid hypothesis |
Synaptic dysfunction proceeding pathology hypothesis
Oct 2
ALS
5
6
Oct 9
Huntington’s disease and other triplet repeat diseases.
Lynch
Oct 16
Schizophrenia
DEBATE: Etiology of schizophrenia
Developmental disorder | DA system dysfunction |
Disorder of Glutamate system
Dichter /
Neumar
Sept 13
NO CLASS - Rosh Hashonah
Dichter
Dichter
Dichter
Dichter
Sept 20
Regulation of NMDA receptor function and excitotoxicity
Sept 27
Overview of clinical trials – acute vs chronic
Oct 4 – Clinical trials presentations (only)
CLINICAL TRIAL PRESENTATION:
Stroke: TPA trial | other trial TBD
CLINICAL TRIAL PRESENTATION:
ALS: Riluzole trial | BDNF trial
Oct 11
Animal models of psychiatric disorders and the role of endophenotypes
Oct 18
Using simple biological models for neurodegenerative diseases
Lynch
Balcer
Dichter
Bucan
Gitler
2

7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Oct 23
Parkinson’s disease
CLINICAL TRIAL PRESENTATION:
“DATATOP” | “CALM-PD”
Oct 30
Epilepsy - seizure mechanisms
Nov 6
NO CLASS -
Nov 13
SfN:meeting is Nov 3-7
Overview of interactions between immune and nervous systems; autoimmune disorders
Nov 20
Diseases of Peripheral Nerve
Nov 27
Disorders of brain development – from learning disabilities to mental retardation
Dec 4
Student-led class discussion: How do mutations in widely expressed proteins lead to degeneration or dysfunction of small subsets of neurons?
PRESENTATIONS:
Several hypotheses will be presented by students
Lynch
Dichter
Kariko
Scherer
Crino
Taylor
Oct 25
Mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease
Wilson
Nov 1
Mechanisms of epileptogenesis
WEBSITE REVIEW: Impact of foundations on research
Students will turn in at the start of class on Nov 13 a written, one-page (single spaced) summary of how a foundation impacts research in its target area. Some options to choose from:

Hereditary Disease Foundation (hdfoundation.org)

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (smafoundation.org)

Michael J Fox Foundation (michaeljfox.org)

MS Foundation (msfocus.org)

ALS Association (alsa.org)
Nov 8
Depression / Affective disorders
Nov 15
Multiple Sclerosis
CLINICAL TRIAL PRESENTATION:
Unsuccessful trial TBD | Tysarbi or Retuxamide
Nov 22
NO CLASS – Thanksgiving
Nov 29
Autism, Asberger’s and other spectrum disorders
PRESENTATIONS: Causes of autism: social construct theory | genetics theory | vaccine theory | environmental toxins theory | various prenatal factors theory
Dec 6
Macular degeneration
Coulter
Dichter
Dichter
Brodkin
Dunaief
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